Running back Fred Taylor recently shared some of his thoughts with the Globe as he makes the transition from the Jaguars to the Patriots. His comments were included in today's Boston Globe football notes, and are reprinted here:
His first impressions of New England: "I've been in Florida my entire life, but I always tell people I think I was one of those Floridians who was wired the wrong way. For some reason, I kind of like the cold. My grandmother never understood that about me. In terms of the city of Boston, until I signed here and visited, I didn't know it was so nice. The skyline, the water, it's a beautiful place. I think I'll probably be living in the city. I have been searching for places, and it was a cool feeling being in the city, because Jacksonville, you don't get that real city feel. It's more country there."
On how he is approaching the offseason: "I'll be joining the team May 11. That's a week prior to the rookie passing camp, so I can kind of get with the coaches, get in the strength and conditioning program, and be around the guys for a week, learn the system for a bit. When the rookies take the field for the 18th, I'll go out there with them so I can get a two-week learning curve before the initial veteran passing camp. I'll practice the OTAs [organized team activities] until June and the minicamp. Now, I'm just training in South Florida like I usually do."
On choosing No. 21 after wearing No. 28 in Jacksonville the last 11 seasons: "I was 21 at [the University of] Florida and I want to finish how I started. I started pretty strong, so I decided to go to 21. I think it will be a good look. It was available and I said, 'Why not?' About 4-5 years ago, I wanted to get it in Jacksonville when Jack Del Rio initially came. But he said '28 is you' and he convinced me not to get it. So I'm back in old 21, ready to make that hot."
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Thought this bit from Lonbardi was interesting.
" I read last week that Vikings head coach Brad Childress said that he thought the Patriots were prepared to take Percy Harvin right behind them had the Vikings not selected him at No. 22...... New England did not like the first round of the draft for the past month and never had any intention of moving up, only down, which is what it did. "
That sounds about right. No surprise that Childress would be blowing his own horn, or that Peter King would be the donkey carrying Brad's bucket of water.
I think Fred is dying for a ring, and I think he will play his butt off for us this year. I have lived in Jacksonville for the last 16 years and have heard and seen a lot of Fred Taylor. He's really good when he's on the field. I hope the "Fragile Fred" we saw a lot of down here doesn't show up in NE. He frequently missed time with injury, but some suspect he was sand-bagging because Jax sucked and he wanted to extend his career by not wearing down his body for a losing effort. Well, that reason is gone now. He could not be in a better situation to prosper and win than in NE, and I think he knows this and will take full advantage of the opportunity. Fred, if you have a great season and get a ring I'm hoping it will shut up all the Jag fans that have been hating on me since we have ruined their postseason so many times. Good luck to Fred!
The guy misses a game here and there...but it's not like he's missing extended time on a regular basis. He missed 3 games last season. One the year before. One game the year before that. Then 5 games, then 2, then none. That means, in the past 7 seasons, he's missed a total of 12 of them...out of 112 of them. That's about 10%....which would work out to 14 or so games. I'll take it, especially considering he'll be splitting the load, not with one guy, but with 3. I'm pretty sure that the Pats will be able to put SOMEBODY on the field this season at RB. Morris, Maroney, Taylor, Faulk....hell, even Green-Ellis can hold the fort for a game or two if need be. I like their cahnces to run the ball this season.
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